Public Hearing on Creation of New Regions Draws Divergent Views in Ho

Public hearing by the Commission of Enquiry on the creation of a new region out of the Volta Region attracted a myriad of arguments both for and against the proposal in Ho on Tuesday.

People with varying dispositions, some bearing placards with interests in the subject thronged the GM Afeti auditorium of the Ho Technical University to submit their views to the Commission.

Dr Kweku Addeah, the Secretary to the petitioners said underdevelopment fuelled the desire of people from Northern Volta to call for a region since colonial times and cited the United Nations and previous governments as bodies that had received their plea.

He stated that colonial policy, monopoly, and tribalism drew a line between the “developed south and undeveloped north” of the region, leaving the latter in need of basic social amenities.

Dr Addeah said owing to the distance, access to facilities in Ho posed huge challenges and the area continued in stagnation decades after it voted to join the then Gold Coast during the plebiscite, compelling chiefs and opinion leaders from the eight districts of Northern Volta to resort to formal petitions.

He noted that their ancestors occupied and held political authority over the land long before the European colonialists arrived and said there was enough documentation to that effect.

He said the people were hopeful that the creation of the proposed Oti Region would bring rapid development to the area.

Dr Obed Asamoah, a former Attorney General and a member of the concerned citizens of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe and Lolobi (SALL) backed the petition saying it would allow for the creation of new districts towards development.

Mr Dzigbordi Adjima, a member of a Volta citizens group said some districts had been left out and that the move was a “dangerous” division along ethnic lines.

Other inputs against the creation of the new region said resourcing district Assemblies would solve the development challenges and not necessarily the creation of a new region.